


Serendipitous

by giggling_bubble



Series: Publishing My Appreciation [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Cuddling, Emotional, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, One-Shot, Romantic Fluff, chat saves the day, marinette rescues adrien, sabine knows, snuggles, tom knows, was supposed to be more than a one-shot and might be someday, woke parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 11:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11252184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giggling_bubble/pseuds/giggling_bubble
Summary: Marinette forgot Tikki at home for a quick run to a neighbor's house. How was she to know someone was waiting for her in the shadows. Thankfully, Chat is there to save her! When the situation is switched, he is the one that needs saving.





	Serendipitous

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Freedom_Shamrock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/gifts).



> Freedom_Shamrock, I really appreciate the motivational support. I had this one sitting in a file, collecting dust, for about eight months. I'm releasing it to you now. :)

Marinette was running through the alleyway with a basket full of treats. She couldn't BELIEVE she left Tikki at home. It was a quick half-block walk to the Mason's, and yet, here she was being chased by a stranger with a knife and getting farther and farther away from home.

He was shouting, "Come out, come out, wherever you are! You can't hide forever, my sweet."

She could hear the leer in his voice and smell the booze from this far away. He wasn't an akuma victim, that much she was sure, but it would have been nice to have Tikki so she could get away from this place. The sun had just gone down. It was only half a block. Marinette couldn't believe her bad luck. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she hunkered down behind a dumpster in the dead-end alley. Her breath hitched and she wanted to cry.

That's when she saw a blur of black come flying down from the roof tops and drop on top of the guy. Marinette pulled out her phone to call the police. She watched Chat Noir and the assailant struggle for a few moments before Chat finally punched him out. Chat stood up and turned around looking for something.

"Hello? I know you're there."

Marinette stepped out from behind the dumpster; her basket of sweets were no longer important. She dropped to her knees and sighed heavily.

"Marinette?" he whispered. Her head shot upwards. The fact he knew her name wasn't too much of a surprise; they had met before. It was the way he said it. It was breathless and desperate.

He had also fallen to his knees and his face had paled.

"Oh, no!" Marinette practically shrieked. The police were coming so she was sure the man on the ground would be okay, but she really needed to get her partner help. She left the basket in the alleyway and ran off towards her house with Chat slug over her shoulder. When she got to the alley behind the bakery she screamed, "TIKKI!"

At her name, Tikki zoomed out of Marinette's open window to find her charge holding an unconscious Chat Noir. "Spots on." In a flash of red, Marinette was Ladybug and swung herself up into her room. Her shirt had blood dripping down her back, but it looked like the pressure from his body on her shoulder had slowed the blood. When she dropped him down onto the bed Tikki immediately sprung into action.

Marinette was crying, "What do I do Tikki?"

Tikki came back with rags, scraps of fabric, a sewing kit, a lighter, a bottle of alcohol, and a look of determination. "He needs pressure on the wound."

"I can't see the wound!" Marinette choked.

"Plagg!" Tikki pleaded, "Release his transformation." Then it sounded like Tikki was talking to herself, to Marinette, but she had a feeling there was a conversation happening that she wasn't able to hear. "Just do it, Plagg. He might be dying. We have to help him. YOU CAN'T WAIT FOR PERMISSION!" Marinette had never heard Tikki be so furious before and it was shocking. Her shrill voice was livid. "We HAVE done this before. I KNOW he didn't make it. Do you want to repeat that mistake?"

Marinette heard an audible sigh and the transformation was released. Her voice hitched in the back of her throat and her heart about jumped out of her body, "Adrien?!" A small black cat fell onto the pillow and groaned.

"Pain. I'm in pain. Camembert. Must have Camembert."

"HUSH, Plagg, or someone will hear you!" Tikki chided. She flew downstairs to grab some cheese from the bakery kitchen. "I'm sorry it took me so long," Tikki apologized to Plagg, "Mari's parents are awake."

Plagg ate the cheese and laid there for a moment.

"What can he do?" Marinette asked.

"Not much," Tikki sighed, "Ladybug heals faster, but Plagg can stabilize him so he can heal with enough time. He can take some pain away, too."

"Please...Plagg, is it? Is he going to be okay?"

Plagg rolled his eyes, "I'm not a fortune teller." Tikki flew over and smacked him on the back of the head for his disrespect and he glared at her silently.

Marinette was inspecting Adrien's body now. She only found one gash on his abdomen just below his ribs on his left side. It was bleeding profusely and she held a rag to it as tightly as possible. Her eyes were bleary with tears. "I can't do this, Tikki. I didn't sign up for this," she sobbed. "I'm not mature enough and I'm scared!"

Tikki brushed her hands through her hair, "You're doing great, Marinette."

Marinette took a pad of gauze and wrapped it into place around his middle with a scrap of fabric. It was a bright green with silver specks.

"When is Plagg going to be ready?" she squeaked helplessly. Tikki looked at Plagg questioningly.

"Now!" he sat up with a look of determination. Plagg jumped onto Adrien's chest and said, "I need you to say it buddy." Marinette took Adrien's unconscious head and made him nod.

"Just go!" Tikki insisted.

Plagg disappeared into Adrien and he transformed into Chat Noir. Marinette could see the dressing was still on under his suit and placed her hands there to hold it. The bleeding had slowed already, but he still wasn't awake.

Marinette held her hands there for two hours. Eventually, she fell asleep from exhaustion. Tikki woke her up by tapping on her cheek, "Marinette, you should really find a better place to sleep. You're not able to hold adequate pressure. Just let Plagg do what he can. You need to rest."

Marinette felt a sob in her throat and she coughed on it, "I can't, Tikki." She took her hand and ran her fingers through his messy hair. She gazed at his porcelain skin and gently cupped his jaw, "He's so handsome, isn't he Tikki?"

Tikki smiled sadly, "He is, Marinette. I believe even moreso because you like him so much."

Marinette dropped her eyes, "I know." She dropped her head to his chest and pressed her ear there to hear his heartbeat. Her lips broke into a smile as she heard it beating steadily there. "I think I love him, Tikki."

"Do you really know him, Marinette?"

"I feel like I do!" she smiled. "I want to."

"Adrien? Or Chat?"

Marinette's eyes lit up, "Both!"

Tikki giggled, "I thought as much." Then a second later, "Shut up, Plagg!"

"What did he say?" Marinette asked, wiping a stray tear from her cheek.

"He said he was going to be sick."

"Something with Adrien?" Marinette was worried.

"NO!" Tikki exclaimed, "Plagg can't handle the romance of it."

"Of what?"

"The Ladybug and Chat Noir relationships."

Marinette smiled, "I'm sorry, Plagg."

"He says thank you and he likes you," Tikki smirked.

Marinette laid her head back down on his chest, "I'm going to sleep right here."

Tikki didn't argue and snuggled up behind her knee.

It was dark outside. There was a wind blowing and the open window was howling. Adrien opened his eyes to a very blurry, dark room. He tried to get his eyes to focus, but they wouldn't cooperate. He just stayed there for a moment to wait. He could feel a weight on his chest and a pain in his side. The last thing he remembered was a sharp pain and seeing Marinette at the end of an alley. He knew he'd been stabbed, but then passed out.

His eyes could focus now, but it didn't help him much. Even with his night vision he couldn't figure out where he was. The room looked familiar, for some reason, but he just couldn't place it. Then he looked down and saw a head with dark hair lying on his chest. _Marinette_ he thought. His hand moved without his permission to glide across her head and down to grab one of her pigtails. Her head stirred and she shot up. Her cheeks were stained with tears, her eyes were still red and blotchy, but her smile was brilliant as always.

"Hi," he smiled.

She squealed, "You're awake!"

"Yeah," he nodded and groaned, "Ow."

"Am I hurting you?" she asked, sitting up immediately to move away.

"No," he smiled, "No."

"You got stabbed," she frowned.

"Yeah, the guy got a sneaky lick in," he grumbled. "It was a really sharp knife and cut through my suit like it wasn't even there."

There was a punctuated silence and Marinette whispered, "I thought I'd lost you."

He smirked, "Not likely." That's when a worried look overcame his features.

"What's wrong?" she asked, worried.

"Uh, Marinette, I...um...do you have a bathroom?" The dawning comprehension hit her full in the face. He had to pee really REALLY bad.

"Yes, I do, but we have to get down the loft stairs first." She bit her lip nervously, "Do you think you can do that?"

"I have to," he grimaced.

"Wait!" Marinette ran down to her desk and retrieved a glass jar she'd been storing ribbons in. "Here!" she said handing it to him. He frowned at it.

"What's wrong?" she asked, "You're a guy. Isn't that something you can do?"

"I suppose," he started, "But I'd really rather not."

Marinette nodded with a smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "I understand. I can help you."

Truth be told, Adrien had never gone to the bathroom in the suit. He wasn't about to tell Marinette he didn't know how to do it, but he really didn't want to flood himself in the process of finding out, either. That would only lead to one pissed off kwami.

"Come on," she grabbed his right arm and threw it over her shoulder.

Chat winced as she lifted him off of the bed. His legs were working fine, however, but he wasn't going to let her know he didn't need her help. He liked having his arm around her. Marinette could feel that his arm over her shoulder was more of an embrace than using her for support, but she wasn't going to argue.

Marinette was sitting on her chaise, reading a magazine, and waiting for him to return. It had been a long time and she wondered what was going on.

She took it upon herself to knock. There was a chance he had lost consciousness, and though scary as that sounded, she'd be running in if he needed her to. "Chat?!" she knocked, "Are you all right?"

"Uh...yeah," his shakey voice replied, "Marinette?"

"Yes?"

The door cracked open slightly, but he didn't stick his face out. She could tell Plagg had dropped the transformation and comprehension dawned on her face. The cat suit didn't have an access to take a leak. Oops. No more camembert for Plagg here, either. Marinette wanted to smack herself on the forehead.

"Did I transform while I was unconscious?"

Marinette wanted to flail herself into oblivion for overlooking this detail. "Yeeee-aaah," she drew out with a heavy sigh.

"So, you know I'm...Adrien?" he said as he opened the door to look at her.

It was the eyes. His eyes. Those are what got to her every time. Her voice hitched and her knees went weak. Her stomach danced and she looked down at her feet, "Yes."

When she glanced back up at his eyes he was wearing a broad smile and his eyes were sparkling. No, it wasn't the eyes, per say, but knowing that his eyes were the window into his mind and those eyes, those beautiful green eyes, were staring back through her window at her. They were seeing each other, intimately, and she couldn't handle it.

"That's so WONDERFUL!" he sighed as he took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "It's such a relief."

"Really?" she was confused. She'd braced herself for a much different reaction.

"I've wanted to tell someone for so long, but I didn't know how."

Marinette was flabbergasted. Adrien's arms were wrapped around her, of his own volition, and she didn't even know how to respond to his glee. That was NOT how she thinks she'd feel if she were to reveal herself to someone. Would she?

"Come on, let's get you back to bed," she said, slipping her arm around his waist to help him back up the stairs.

"You're taking this very well," he chuckled as he looked over at her.

She got him back up to the bed and laid him down. Not wanting to intrude, now that he knew she knew, it was awkward. Marinette scooted to the end of the bed and stared off to the room below.

Adrien frowned, "What has changed, Marinette?"

Marinette glanced back at him, "H..huh? Wh-what do you mean?"

"I'm still me," he said, staring down at his hands, "Did I do something wrong already? It hasn't been three minutes and I've already pushed you away."

The sorrow on his face made her heart ache. "No," she shook her head, "I just...I don't know."

"You don't have to feel guilty, Marinette," he smiled, "I am genuinely happy, I promise. Would you come sit with me again-like before? It was nice."

Marinette didn't need to be asked twice. She scurried up the bed and he held his arm out for her to lay her head on his shoulder. They sat there in silence for a minute and Marinette relaxed into this embrace she'd always longed for.

"This is nice," he sighed deeply. "I feel like I'm in one of those movies, you know?"

"Oh?"

"Where the guy gets the girl and they lay blissfully together. It feels so surreal right now." Adrien had always craved human touch, but he was never brave enough to ask for it.

Marinette was stunned. She blinked slowly a couple times. "R-re-really?"

He squeezed her shoulders gently, "Of course. I mean, I realize you aren't my girl, but I can pretend, right? Does that bother you? Cause I won't if it does. I mean, I just haven't ever had the opportunity to...you know...lay like this with anyone before."

That revelation blew Marinette's mind. Adrien. Adrien Agreste. He'd never held a girl before. Not ever. Was he the same model boy from her class? The one that had girls constantly fawning over and chasing him? That same boy? How had he never held a girl before? Then, after realizing that it WAS true, she got to thinking...how lonely he must be.

Marinette turned to slip her hand under the small of his back and laid her other arm over his chest, "It doesn't bother me," she smiled into his shirt, "I'm here, any time."

With that Adrien smiled happily to himself. He leaned down and placed a sweet kiss to the top of her head, "I love you, Marinette."

She knew he didn't mean it the way she had always hoped, but he did mean it and that's all that mattered. Perhaps, given some time, he could come to love her the way she felt like she loved him...or lusted after him.

Adrien really did mean it when he said he loved her. He just hoped that someday he might be able to find out if he meant it in every sense of the word. He just didn't know if he'd ever have the guts to find out. For now? He was content to have someone who understood him and he could be himself with. Plus, getting to hold her was nice. Someday, maybe, he hoped she'd want to hold him just as much as he enjoyed holding her.

They both fell asleep, content in each others' company.

Two sets of eyes silently peeked up from the hatch into Marinette's room.

"Think we should tell them?" Sabine whispered to her husband.

"I wouldn't dare," her husband chuckled.

Sabine bit her lip, "I think we should at least inform his mother."

Tom nodded, "I think you're right."

She glanced at her husband with a smug grin, "I told you I heard his kwami."


End file.
